Sunday, 20 November 2011

It seems impossible to step into nana & bird in Tiong Bharu and not have a crush on at least one (or in my case 5!) beautiful things at this unique and cosy boutique which only stocks the crème de la crème of worldwide independent and up-and-coming designers.

Whether it’s accessories, handbags or truly individual pieces of clothing, best friends ‘nana’ and ‘bird’ made it their mission to do the globetrotting for you and bring back the things which they personally loved. This policy is what keeps the boutique’s distinctive character which you either fall in love with or if you’re the mainstream type, simply not see the point of it.

Why? It’s simple. Think about when you were a little girl looking in your mother’s drawers and admiring her jewellery like I always did, you literally get to wear them all at once. Hence the name of the print ‘All the Jewellery I Never Got’ (Although I recently did get mine :-) Thanks mom!)

Just looking at the picture of the dress again has my heart aflutter. The photo really does do this unique conversation-starting dress a disservice, as it doesn’t come close to catching the sense of fun contained in this special silk number.

The obvious beauty is in the print which the UK-based designer illustrates and executes herself, but the subtle slim cut with a slightly edgy sleeves and back gives the vintage style of the print a more Avant-garde appeal which creates a beautiful contrast while staying understated.

I would wear it for a semi-dressy evening out, to a cocktail party, gallery opening and even at home with my favourite heels if I feel like it :-) But for SG$650, I think I will need a big occasion (and a well-paid job!) to justify buying it.

Another creation from Natalie B Coleman's 'All the Jewels
I Never Got' collection

Where to find it: In Singapore, Natalie B Coleman is exclusively stocked at nana & bird, in Tiong Bahru (a cool boutique I’ll be featuring in a later post.)